


The Beast You’ve Made of Me

by PunchingApricots



Category: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Lovesick puppy Andy, Unintentional Courtship, devil miranda, queen bitch miranda, werewolf andy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-04-24 22:23:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14364945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunchingApricots/pseuds/PunchingApricots
Summary: Andy has a run in with a werewolf that leaves her with an unusual condition. She must learn to deal with her new circumstances while settling in to her new job with the actual devil in Prada. Can she maintain her secret, survive being Miranda’s assistant, and hide her budding feelings for said editor-in-chief? It doesn’t help that a supernatural war is brewing.





	1. Just a Little Bite

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first ever fanfic so try not to judge my writing to hard. I’ve always wanted to write a supernatural au so here it is. Ideally I’ll update this once a week. I hope you enjoy! Comments are appreciated.

Dusk came in shades of soothing pink,orange, and red. Summer went with quiet submission sinking into the first ghostly breaths of autumn.

Wind, cool and wispy, swept through the park. Off in the distance, the laughter of children rang through the air. With the fading of the late September sun came the end of their carefree summer days. Ancient oak trees sported dozens of perfectly golden leaves among the usual sea of green.

The air turned sweet with the scent of freshly mowed grass. Marigolds and dahlias permeated their surrounding with delicate sugary notes as their last blossoms bloomed. Andy sighed, deep in her chest an old bittersweet sense of nostalgia festered red-hot.

A group of joggers trotted down the sidewalk pushing the absent-minded woman as side. She didn’t know why, but she had the desperate need to move. The restlessness appeared months ago.

At first, the urge barely registered. Between moving into an apartment apartment with her longtime boyfriend, looking for a job, and settling in a new city. Life had been just too busy to worry about something as silly as a bit of anxiety.

The problem was that the anxiety kept growing. It started off simple enough, with a few restless nights, an increase sensitivity to her environment.

The changes were so small she hardly noticed, yet as time when on the symptoms became more pronounce. By month two everything irritated her. Lights were too bright, sounds too loud, and touches too painful. In month three, she barely slept.

Month four she all but stopped eating. Now, five months into the changes, Nate approached his wit’s end. He couldn’t even be in their apartment with Andy without her going into near frenzies. She couldn’t fault him.

Nate handled the developments well better than what Andy deserved. He had been nothing but kind and supportive as she lost more and more of her former self. He suggested the move knowing Andy’s deserve to live and thrive in New York.

She, of course, was eager and readily agreed. Fresh out of college and starry-eyed, Andy had craved substance. The promise of a good job and closer relationship with Nate.

Her hunger had evolved. No longer could her previous aspiration sustain her. She wanted more. Andy huffed in frustration, she knew she wanted just not what she wanted.

The sunset faded in brilliant rays of rusty red and faded orange. Andy headed deeper into the park hoping to prolong the trip back the the city. More and more she found herself in state parks.

The worldly beauty of nature seemed to be the only thing that quieted her spirit. The paths were well worn. Years and countless visitors later wore the trails indistinguishable. Yet, Andy never felt lost. Her phone vibrated from the packet of her jeans.

It most likely was Nate calling to plead with her to come home. She ignored the call. The thought of heading back made her stomach churn.

She walked for hours taking in the sights and sounds of nature. Moonlight poured through the millions of leaves on the trees casting light sparkling glimmers of pale light across the forest floor.

Slowly, she descended down the path her sneakers crunching on dead leaves as she went. Andy found herself standing on the end of a river watching as the sluggish water streamed past her. She yawned as exhaustion finally hit her.

Only after an extended walk did she find herself able to sleep. Realizing she should call Nate and tell him she would be home soon, she pulled out her phone.

She groaned in dismay as the charge battery prompt glared at her. She started back toward the main road tracing the route she took over. Something moving in her peripheral vision caught her attention.

A figure big, black, and bulking moved among the trees. The fine hairs on Andy’s arms stood up. With heart pounding wildly in her chest, Andy raced up the trail.

Her instinct yelled for her to get out of the forest. Thunderous footfall sounded behind her warned of an impending attacker. Sensing danger, Andy dropped into a shoulder roll. A split second later the attacker barreled over her. Missing Andy by a few inches.

The thing went tumbling into a trees slamming against the trunk with such force it splintered. Quivering, Andy got back to her feet and screamed when she saw the creature that attacked her.

A giant dark colored wolf staggered onto it feet. It glared at her glowing yellow eyes pierced through her soul.The animal growled and bared sharp glistening teeth at her. Long strands of saliva dripped down its maw as it circled Andy.

The wolf ran at her again its body a blur as it covered the distance between them within a moment. Tackling Andy to the ground, the massive wolf sank its teeth into her shoulder. Bolts of pain ran hotter than fire through Andy’s veins.

She choked out a shuttering scream before pushing desperately at the animals face. The wolf held on with an unrelenting grip. It made no attempt to rip her throat out or maul her further. Instead, it pressed more of it crushing weight on her pinning Andy beneath its enormous body.

Andy wheezed, lungs being crushed under the creatures impressive weight, she reached around herself looking for anything that could help her. Andy’s fingers brushed against the cool wood of a stick.

Grabbing the stick, she used her remaining strength to jam it into the wolf’s eye socket. The beast whined the sound shrill and horrid. Andy stubbed to her feet only to fall back onto the damp forest floor.

The sweet metallic scent of her blood filled her nostrils and made her want to retch. She shiver as rivlet of her blood streamed quickly from the gaping wound on her shoulder. The air in her lungs burned suddenly becoming too hot for her to stand. Panting, her breath came out in thick steamy plumes.

The wolf thrashed around on the ground while desperately pawing at it face. Its blood splattered across Andy as it shook the stick out of its eye. The world began to spin violently. Watery-eyed and nauseous, Andy rolled onto her side sinking deeper into the pulpy ground.

Liquid viscous and burning pooled in her throat before spewing from her lips. The mud below her turned dark as blood seeped into it. For what seemed like forever everything hurt.

Andy could feel her intestines moving slithering around like snakes unwinding and knotting themselves in a different configuration.

Vaguely, she was aware of the sicking sound of breaking bones over the stabbing throbs of pain running through her body. Andy couldn’t tell how long the torture to lasted time blurred together.

Seconds became what felt like centuries as she lay riving in pain. Then, the pain was gone. For a few moments she was surrounded by blissful nothing like she had ascended beyond her body. The next moment she seemed to fall back into her battered body.

She gasped for breath, and her lungs burned desperate for air. Something was very wrong. She moved gingerly her nerves firing wildly under her skin as she tried to get to her feet. The problem was she had four of them.

Glancing down, Andy was greet by giant dark paws. Shock bolted through Andy’s frame as her idled brain tried to make sense of the changes to her body. Before she could full process her new form, the beast came toward her gain. Its muzzle split into a malicious grin.

Andy’s hackles rose and pure instinct drives her to let out a deep growl. Once gentle brown eyes turned bright feral golden. Her pupils constricted turning into tiny dots. Something dangerous stirred in the usual docile woman. But in the moment she was a beast. She rushed toward her attacker and buried her teeth into its side.

Blindly, she latched on and began to shake her massive head. The creature screeched and tried to free itself. It snapped at Andy’s injured shoulder trying to sever the newly restitched muscles there.

She wouldn’t let go no matter what it did. The hazy cloud of bloodlust shrouded Andy’s mind. Kill, kill, kill, kill it! Her instincts screamed as she ripped at the creatures side. Fear and anger merged seamlessly in her mind urging her on. In an act of desperate, the creature gave a hard quick bite to Andy’s leg. The audible snap of her bones pulled Andy from her murder ardor. She let out a high pitch whine as she released her prey.

The beast scurried away stumbling awkwardly through thick underbrush. Andy panted trying to calm herself as pain and adrenaline course through her veins. After she was sure the creature was gone, she dropped to the ground her body heavy with fatigue. For the first time in months, she found peaceful sleep.


	2. Naked and Afraid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up naked, covered in blood, and with amnesia in the middle of the wood is never good.

Andy woke to the bruised merry melodies of songbirds. Disoriented the young journalist blinked owlishly as she tries to collect herself. Her lungs wheeze out a shaky breath as she realizes she’s stark naked and covered in blood. Her lips and chin smeared with dried blood.

 

Andy’s mouth taste of rot she noted with disdain. A sharp hiss of surprise sounds from her throat as her head begins to pound. It hurts for Andy to try to think or recall how she ended up in her situation. All she knows is waking up in the middle of the woods naked and covered in blood was not a good thing. _Someone else’s blood._ She notices with dismay.

 

After another moment of trying to discern what happened in the last few hours, she gives up. Her headache is almost crippling, and being found naked in the middle of a state park was not something she wanted to deal with. Andy stumbles to her feet groaning as her joints popped. _What the hell did I do late night?_ Glancing at her surrounding, Andy spot her clothes several yards to her left. Relief flooded through Andy at least she wouldn’t have to catch the subway home in her birthday suit.

 

Her clothes were in tatter all stretched and ripped to pieces. Andy whined as she picked up her favorite Northwestern hoodie. The fabric of it had frayed and ripped, but luckily it was mostly intact. In the distance, Andy hears a running river. Remembering the path to the body of water, Andy finds the deserted path and walks there. Her bare feet fall onto cold dirt the feeling was foreign but not unpleasant.

 

Dropping her shirt on the banks, Andy stepped into the rushing water. Goosebumps rose on Andy’s skin as cool water pooled around her blood soaked body. She watched as the water turned red. Andy scrubbed the caked up blood off her shoulder no injury marred her skin there but the entire right side of her throat was stained red. The skin there was more sensitive too. She diligently washed herself clean. It would not be wise to walk around looking like a crime scene.

 

Once she was satisfied that she was clean, Andy made her way back to the riverbank. She felt marginally better even though her head was still killing her. Andy shrugged on her hoodie and thanked past Andy for get the hoodie several sizes too large. The hoodie covered her to mid-thigh preserving some of her modesty. She notice in mild annoyance that dried blood coats the inside of the hoodie.

 

The walk back toward the subway station was spent in quiet reflection. The scarce stranger or two gawked at Andy as she walked by. She ignored the stares as she briskly made her way down the street. New York was the city that never slept, and even this early in the morning dozens of people were heading to work.

 

The subway ride back to the city was as awkward as Andy expected. The man next to her not so subtly ran his eyes over her barely cloth form. Andy gritted her teeth and tried to ignore the middle aged creep. “Hey sweetheart, you have a rough night?” He asked, as the term of endearment slipped passed his slimy lips, Andy glared. She looked directly into his bland face her eyes piercing his dull blue ones. What he saw in Andy’s dark eyes caused him to pale and spring out of his seat. Andy jumped both confused and startled at the man’s sudden action. “Whatever you just did ain’t right you freak.” He said, his voice shook betraying his fear.

 

Before Andy could ask what he was talking about, the subway doors hissed open in the creep went running out. Andy sat stunned for a moment before shrugging off his comment. _Maybe he forgot to take his meds this morning._ She reasoned, but unease settled in her heart. The walk to her apartment was eerily like a walk of shame. She could feel the eyes of dozens of people on her as she passed. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Andy keep her head down as she walked as swiftly as possible as the crowd of commuting pedestrians grow larger.

 

Andy makes it back to her apartment without incident. Relief floods through her as she takes the stairs up to her tiny apartment. She knocks on the door realizing that she left her phone and keys with her destroyed phone. She let out a pitiful whine and allowed her head to softly thud against the door. She had twenty dollars to her name buying a new phone was out of the question, but the thought of going back to that park sent dread trickling down her spine.

 

The door swung open revealing a disheveled Nate. “Andy! Where the hell have you been!” He yelled, Andy winced his volume aggravated her headache. She pushed past him into the apartment. “Baby, I was so worried! Where were you?” He exclaimed following after his girlfriend.

 

Andy held up her hand to stop any further protests. “Nate, for the love of God, please lower your voice.” Andy groans, her hands cradle her pounding head. Nate drops down onto the couch next to her. His concern showing visibly on his face. The scent of breakfast wafted over the apartment and Andy sat up slightly. Her stomach clench with ravenous hunger. Her mouth watered and all her thoughts shifted to her empty stomach.

 

“You made breakfast.” She stated, already heading to the homely little kitchen. “Yeah, you know I cook when I’m worried.” Nate answered, he watched bewildered as Andy started to pile a plate with bacon, eggs, and pancake.

Andy had not eaten a proper meal in ages her stomach wouldn’t allowed her to enjoy much of anything. She scarfed the food down without pause. Tears pricked her eyes and she hummed happily. Fluffy sunny eggs were soft and savory while airy perfect pancakes almost make her cry.

 

Nate watches in quiet awe as the half starved woman tried to ate her weight in bacon. When she finishes her meal she feels infinitely better. “Andy, you okay?” Nate questions while watching his girlfriend nervously. “Yeah, I think so.” She replies, looking at her boyfriend over her mug. She sensed the onslaught of questions forming on his tongue, and something inside her is alarmed.

 

“So, you wanna tell me where you were?” Nate asks again. Impatiently he watched Andy downed the rest of her coffee. “I went on a run in Letchworth park. It’s getting cold outside so I wanted to go take a swim in one of the rivers before it gets too cold. A bunch of kids thought is would be funny to still my clothes and hide them.” Andy feigned an annoyed sigh before continue. “I could only find my hoodie, and I got lost for like two hours. So all and all,

it was a shitty night.” She finishes, Andy doesn’t know way she feels the overwhelming need to lie to him. But the lies slip from her lips with natural ease.

 

Nate believes her. He offers her a consoling hug, and a kiss on  the cheek. “Oh, I’m sorry baby.” He said, Andy shrugs and places her plate into the sink. “I’m going to go take a quick shower and get dressed. You want to watch a movie afterwards?” She asks already feeling guilty for lying to him. Nate smiles happily at her surprised by the sudden request. During her illness their relationship had taken a few hits. The idea of spending some quality time with Andy excited him. “Yeah! I’ll pick something out.” Nate chirps as Andy disappears into the bathroom.

 

Andy immediately sheds her ruined hoodie and steps into the shower. She turned the knob until the water was scolding hot. Resting her head against the cool shower tiles, Andy let out a shaky breath. Her headache had faded to a light throb. She washed her hair and combed the out the knots that accumulated their. She stayed under the hot water until her skin was flush. Not for the first time she wished her little apartment had better water pressure. The spray came from the showerhead in uneven torrents.

 

Andy stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a tower. She peered into the mirror as she walked past it and stopped dead in her tracks. She stared at her own reflection as if it were a stranger. She looked the same as usual except she didn’t. Andy couldn’t quite place what exactly about her was different but it was there. Her long dark brown hair was the same and so were eyes, yet it was like something had been shifted out of place. “Andy?” Nate called, snapping Andy out of her trance. “One minute!” She said before heading to the bedroom to get dressed.

 

It was Sunday and the freelance journalist didn’t have any work to do. It had proven to be exceedingly challenging to find steady work by just writing articles. She was new, much less experienced than the hundreds of other journalists living in New York. Andy had resigned herself to finding another source of long term employment until she started to get a more liable flow of income from her writing. She dressed in one of Nate’s t-shirts and shorts then joined him on the couch again.

They spend most of the rest of the day watching movies and reality t.v. together. Nate pulls Andy into his lap. She cuddles into him and listens intently as he talks about his week. She’s half asleep when Nate asks, “Don’t you have an interview tomorrow?” Andy nods. “Yeah at some place named Runway. It’s a fashion magazine. Some editor needs an assistant and the job seems easy enough.” She replies, honestly Andy was a little disappointed she have to spend an unforeseeable amount of her future doing meaningless easy work. She drifts back to sleep with that thought in mind. Never had Andy been so wrong.  
                                                                       


	3. It's a Dog Eat Dog World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy goes in for an interview and has a very interesting day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never been brave enough to write a fic before. This is very new to me and I apologize about weirdly timed update. I don't thing I'm a good writer so I have a hard time being encouraged and motivated enough to write what I feel is garbage. Please enjoy the beginnings of a long-suffering Andy.

The screeching cry of an alarm clock roused Andy from her sleep. Sluggishly, she sat up and reached to stop the screaming clock. She read the time, 6a.m., and groaned. Last night was the first good night of sleep she had in months. She wanted desperately to lay back down and sleep in, but her interview was in a few hours. So, with a heavy heart, Andy slunk out of bed. 

Most of her clothes were casual wear unsuited for anything professional. Andy stared a the off-white walls of her closet in dismay. Rows of neatly folded university shirt glare back at her. She begins to search through her clothes for something that looks presentable. She pulls a familiar grey sweater vest out the sea of t-shirt. It a little old at this point and has seen better days, but it’s the best thing she has and it does not look bad. She builds her outfit from there adding a white button down shirt and dress pants.

She takes a quick shower and brushes her unruly dark tresses back in place. By time she emerges from the bathroom Nate is drowsily ambling around the kitchen. Andy’s stomach growls as the aroma of French toast, hash browns, and sausage reaches her nose. Andy rushes into the kitchen her brown eyes glittering with excitement. Andy eats with as much gusto as yesterday. Nate was beyond relieved he was afraid that yesterday’s feeding frenzy was a flook but watching Andy destroy breakfast assuage his fears. 

Andy notices very quickly that something about her is off. She’s too alert. All her senses are going haywire. She smells everything her breakfast, Nate’s shaving cream, the moss growing on the outside of their window sill. She feels her environment completely, feels the hum of the city in her veins. 

She turns her head in every direction chasing after sounds she couldn’t name. “Andy?” Nate calls softly causing the awestruck woman to jump in her sit. “I’m fine. There’s just a lot to take in.” She answered honestly. “Don’t worry, baby you’ll do great. They will have to hire you. Your amazing.” Nate reassures her. Andy nods though she was not talking about pre-interview nerves. Andy gives Nate a quick peck on his cheek and told him to have a good day before bolting out the door. 

Andy was filled wonder as she navigates the streets of New York City. The city seems brighter like she was seeing it through new eyes. The towering buildings are crisper Andy feels as though she’s looking at high definition images. Andy is interested in everything she passes the disgruntled comments from the commuters around her keep the journalist from stopping all together. Her body moves on autopilot carrying her toward the subway station. 

She realizes with less glee that the smells of New York are horrendous. Putrid odors accost Andy mercilessly she nearly vomits several times as the combined rotten stench of liquefying fruit and rancid hot dog water hit her. She sneezes repeatedly as her body tries to rid her nostrils of their attacker. Her ears don’t far much better with the almost constant blaring of horns.The trip to the station is both amazing and miserable. 

The Elias-Clarke building was impressive. It stands tall and proud among the other titans around it. The inside of the building appears just as stately as its exterior Andy takes a moment to take the place in before catching an elevator up to the seventeenth floor. 

Runway is sterile bleach white. The sort of meticulous clean that served to unnerve instead of sooth. Andy steps out into the unknown already questioning what she was doing there. Her need to get a job overrides her need to flee, barely. Andy catches sight of vivid red hair out the corner of her eyes. She approaches the agitated woman with a nervous smile on her face. 

“Hi. Uh, I have an appointment with Emily Charlton?” Andy said, Emily looks her up and down the look of disgust on her face evident. “Andrea Sachs?” The brit replies, her eyes fill with despair. “Yes.” Andy confirms, “Great. Human Resources certainly has an odd sense of humor.” Emily snidely comments while Andy rolls her eyes at the dramatic woman.

Andy learns rather quickly Miranda Priestly’s first assistant had an inclination toward melodrama. She almost blows a gasket when she hears that Andy doesn’t know who Miranda is. Full of sarcastic comments and unable to calm down the first assistant explained the duties of second assistant to Andy as though she was simple. Andy didn’t bother to be offended it was blatantly obvious that Emily was full of herself. She only half paid attention to the instructions being thrown at her.

One of the phones rings causing the high-strung brit to dive for it. The look on her face as she receives a message was the most terrified expression Andy had ever seen on a person. “She’s on her way. Tell everyone!” She hisses, a tall bald man appears out of nowhere. “She’s not supposed to be here until 9:00.” He states already moving to tidy up the place. “Her driver just text messaged, and her facialist ruptured a disk.” She almost whines. 

Andy watches as dozens of immaculate dressed employees ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. The glass walls allow for Andy to see the mass chaos. The fine hair on the back of her neck stands up and goosebumps prick over her skin. Suddenly her heartbeat is loud in her ears. Blood rushes through her body while her muscles coil so tight she’s surprise they don’t snap.

She turns and starts walking toward the elevator, her earlier bravado replaced by primordial fear. Something dangerous was coming. She could feel it in the very depths of her soul. Her legs trembled slightly as she made a break for it. A bony, manicured hand wraps around her bicep and pulls her back into the office. 

Andy yelps in pain at Emily’s shockingly strong grip. “Where are you going? I don’t care that you are truly the most fashion challenged thing I’ve ever had the misfortune to lay eyes on. You and I are having this interview so I can reject you and find Miranda an adequate assistant.” Emily states her grip tightening with word that escaped her painted lips.

Andy’s eyes water as nausea pools thick in her chest with every passing second. “Are you sick?!” Emily asks, immediately releasing the arm of the dewy-eyed girl. “I-I’m not feeling too well. I really should be going.” Andy husks. Her voice doesn’t sound much like her anymore, she notices. “You’ve got to be kidd--” The elevator door open. The office goes quiet. 

Emily darts off to greet Miranda and give her today’s schedule, leaving a confused and slightly sweaty Andy standing awkwardly by her desk. Andy inexplicably feels chills rake through her body as the aura of the room changes. Gone was the earlier subtle comfortability, replaced by a feeling of overwhelming oppression. Andy leaned back against Emily’s desk feeling suddenly very faint. 

Her ears tingle as the soft cadence of words rattled in her skull. That strange feeling rushed over her again. An acute awareness beyond human capability. “I don't understand why it's so difficult to confirm an appointment.” She hears an annoyed voice from down the hall. Each word is crystal clear despite their quietness. Andy cocked her head following the woman’s voice as she drew closer. Andy catches her reflection and snorts at her image. She looked very much like a confused puppy. 

Andy corks her head farther when she hears the exasperated and slight breathless Emily say,”I know. I'm so sorry, Miranda.I actually did confirm last night.” Emily sounds a little teary, and Andy feels bad for her. “Details of your incompetence do not interest me.” Miranda comments her word and tone are so dismissive Andy winces. “Tell Simone I'm not going to approve that girl that she sent me for the Brazilian layout. I asked for clean, athletic, smiling. She sent me dirty, tired and paunchy. And R.S.V.P. Yes to the Michael Kors party.I want the driver to drop me off at 9:30 and pick me up at 9:45 sharp.” The demands are made in quick succession, and Emily’s poor caffeinated heart hammered in her chest.

The sound of the blood rushing through her veins made Andy weirdly nervous.”Call Natalie at Glorious Foods, tell her no for the fortieth time. No, I don't want dacquoise. I want tortes filled with warm rhubarb compote.Then call my ex-husband and remind him the parent-teacher conference is at Dalton tonight.Then call my husband, ask him to meet me for dinner at that place I went to with Massimo.Tell Richard I saw the pictures that he sent for that feature on the female paratroopers; and they're all so deeply unattractive. Is it impossible to find a lovely, slender female paratrooper? No. Am I reaching for the stars here? Not really.” The list continues without pause while Emily scribbles ferociously.

They round the corner and Andy gasps at the silver-haired editor. Miranda was striking. The sort of ethereal timeless beauty that stunned anyone who witnessed it. With long confident strides the editor stalked into her domain. “Also, I need to see all the things that Nigel has pulled for Gwyneth's second cover try. I wonder if she's lost any of that weight yet. Who's that?” Miranda asks as she dumps her things on Emily’s desk. 

Emily quickly steps in front of Andy hiding her from Miranda’s view. “Nobody.” She stammers, then adds, ”Human Resources sent her up about the new assistant job, and I was pre-interviewing her. But she's hopeless and totally wrong for it.” Miranda glances at Andy for a split second. Soulful brown eyes met piercing blue ones before Miranda glides into her office. Clearly I'm going to have to do that myself because the last two you sent me were completely inadequate. So, send her in. That's all.”

Emily and Andy stare at each other for a moment both briefly speechless. “Right. She wants to see you.” Emily says through gritted teeth. Andy’s eyes follow Miranda on their own volition. “Oh, she does?” Andy comments absentmindedly. “Move!” Emily growls, and pushed Andy toward the office. 

Andy gingerly steps into the editors office like a skittish gazelle that knows it’s just walked into a lion’s den. In the past, Andy’s environmental awareness hurt her. Yet now, standing in front of Miranda, her senses seemed to attune to her and they screamed danger. The air around Miranda almost seemed to quiver in fear. Andy’s nostrils flared as she took in her scent. It smelled like nothing she had ever encountered before. A strange combination of both sweet and spicy. It was subtle and addicting but underneath it was something else something that didn’t feel human. 

“Who are you?” Miranda asks Andy, not bothering to look up from the papers already neatly stacked on her desk. “I uh— who am I?” Andy parrots as she tries to recall her name. “Yes, yes you with the dull hair, uninspiring body, and apparently half a brain. Who are you.” Miranda demands and the already cool room chills farther. Again shivers run up Andy’s spine. The editors words were quiet yet vicious. Like barbs they burrowed into Andy’s skin. “I’m Andy, well Andrea Sachs but everyone calls me Andy.” She replies, and the editor scoffs making her disapproval obvious. “Fine. Andrea why are you here?” Miranda intentionally draws out Andy’s given name. In response, she fumbles her way through why she had applied to Runway and her background. She doesn’t remember what she says only that Miranda appears to be ignoring her. “That’s all.” Miranda interrupts Andy before she’s done talking. Rods of red-hot anger and embarrassment course inside Andy at Miranda’s blatant dismissal. Before she knows it she’s stalking up to Miranda’s desk. “Yeah. You know, okay. You’re right. I don’t fit in here. I am not skinny or glamorous; and I don’t know that much about fashion. But I’m smart. I learn fast and I will work very hard—” Andy is interrupted mid-rant by a lanky bald man. Her already simmering blood boils at being cut off. She murmurs a quick thank you and goodbye before hightailing it toward the elevator. “Who is that sad little person?” She hears him comment, and nearly punched a wall.

Once inside she paces around the small space. Her ire only growing at being trapped inside the tiny elevator. She replays the entire interaction over again in her head and has the mounting need to do something violent. She can feel her skin crawling the urge to rip off her own skin turned almost unbearable. Her whole body itches horribly. The elevator’s doors dinged open and Andy bolted out. 

She rushed into the busy New York streets and ran. She didn’t care that she was horribly overdressed for it. She had an overwhelming urge to just run to get away. She didn’t know how long she was running or where to only that she just had to leave. Towering grey buildings turned into clustered apartments and houses then bridges and finally to woods. Andy stopped once she was surrounded by trees in all directions. 

Andy breathes deeply trying to calm her racing heart. As a kid she was prone to panic attacks and would often have to count in her head until she calmed. She starts counting while she paces the clearing she’s in. Around eighty Andy is present enough to take in her surrounds. Familiar shades of red and gold shroud still summering trees. Cool breezes sweep through Andy’s hair carrying the distant scent of apples. Undoubtedly an orchard was nearby. The remnants of rage flush from Andy’s veins leaving her exhausted and a little famished. 

The piercing cry of a ringing cell phone breaks the tentative peace of nature. Recognizing her ringtone instantly, Andy follows the sound. Morning dew seeps through her shoes by the time she picks her wet phone from overgrown grass. Well, at less she wouldn’t have to buy a new one. She stared at the unfamiliar number showing on the screen, “Wow you came back quick. I thought I’d have to wait here all day!” A jovial voice rings out, and Andy barely resists the urge to hurl her freshly recovered phone at the perpetrator. 

A deep rumbling resounds from the depths of her chest as she whirls around to face the stranger. A boy no older than fourteen greets her. His boyish face held an angelic innocent that came with youth not quite yet lost. His hazel eyes meet Andy’s dark ones for a moment before quickly looking away. The gesture pleases her for some reason. The boy runs his hand nervously through his hair. 

“Who are you?” Andy asks, she rubs softly at her chest trying to make the weird sound emitting from it stop. The boy steels himself, straightening his shoulders and standing a little taller, he puts on a brave if slightly wobbly smile. “I’m Alex, you’re um, you’re the wolf from last night aren’t you?” He replies, his nose and cheeks were covered in dozens of tiny freckles that stood out more when he blushed. “The wha-” Andy begins but the wind changes directions. Flashes of a beast with glowing yellow eyes flash through her mind. The sound deep and as powerful as thunder swelled until Andy’s bones rattled. Alex paled and quivered visibly looking moments away from turning tall and running. The memories of last night crash through her in tidal waves. Suddenly Andy feels cold the look on her face must be ghastly because Alex rushed forward. “Hey are you okay, Miss? Maybe you should sit down for awhile.” He suggests while staring helplessly at her. 

No. No, last night couldn’t have been real. There was no such thing as werewolves. They were myths made up to scare children from wandering off at night like vampires and demons. She glance down at her arm remember dark fur instead of bare skin. Andy wants to vomit. It couldn’t have been real. Alex’s eyes widen in realization. “No way, you didn’t know- was last night your first time shifting?” Andy barely hears him over the mounting panic raging inside her. A few hours ago she had turned into a giant DOG. She let out a strangled cry of despair and glared down at Alex. He smelled like a werewolf the scent now seared into her brain. She almost wails in dismay when she realized she had the nose of a bloodhound. All morning she’d been walking around sniffing everything like a grungy mutt. 

“You know who did this to me. Take me to him.” She demanded, that asshole bit her and did this to her. Turned her into this, this thing. She was going to beat the shit out of him. The boy shriveled at her tone and the murderous glint in her eyes. “That’s not how it works, Miss. Unless you drank an alpha’s blood while you were human there’s no way you’d become a werewolf and I don’t think you did. I pretty sure you were born one of us.” Alex mumbles, one of us how many of them were there exactly. Andy scoffs and doesn’t believe the kid for a second. Her parents were human they had never done anything remotely out of the normal. Richard and Elizabeth Sachs were the blandest most stereotypical people in the world. She would have known if they were keeping a secret this momentous. Elizabeth couldn’t hold water and gossiped about anything and everything and Richard was as honest as they come.

“Bullshit. He sent you here to meet me right? Why.” Andy’s day was sufficiently ruined. No, actually her whole fucking life just got shit on. Alex fixed his eyes on the ground showing the side of his throat. “Damien told Joel, our leader, about you. He said that he found you out here while he was patrolling the area. He didn’t think you even knew about the whole wolf thing. Guess he was right. So Joel sent me here to see if you’d come back.” Alex explained, Andy frowned trying to make sense of what she’d been told. “Damien’s the one that tried to rip a giant hole in my throat because he thought I was a wolf?” Andy was more than a little confuse. “No, he didn’t think, he knew you were a werewolf like you knew I was.” Alex stated while picking absently at the grass.

Andy rubbed her face feeling very tired again and catching a massive headache. “Okay, okay this is a lot to take in. How do I meet with Joel. His the leader he can explain this mess to me right?” Andy said, Alex looks beyond relieved to escape interrogation. “He’ll come to you. We know what you smell like now. It won’t be hard to find you again. Joel is really good with this kind of stuff he can help you.” Alex nods sagely, Andy stands preparing to leave. “Why did he send you? Seems stupid to send a kid to check out a stranger.” Andy comments, and Alex blushed. “I wasn’t supposed to talk to you. I wanted to have an important job to do so Joel told me to watch for you. I don’t think he thought you’d show up again so soon, and you looked like a nice lady. So, so I thought it would be okay to talk to you. Man, Joel’s gonna be so mad at me.” He whispers the last part. 

Andy has a thousand more questions she wants to ask but her phone starts ringing again. “I should go my mom will be worried if I’m gone to long.” He says, before turning to leave he looks at her for a long moment. “I’ll see you around, Mi-”Andy, my name is Andy.” She interrupts him. 

After he leaves Andy stares at her constantly blaring phone. She debates ignoring the caller because she was not in the mood to deal with more bombshells. She gives in to her curiosity though when her phone falls silent again only to blare back to life almost immediately. “This is An-” Bloody hell! Learn to answer your damn phone you daft cow! You won’t be working for Miranda long if you can’t.” A very annoying and very british voice pierced Andy’s eardrums. 

“I’m sorry what?” Andy asks, she can feel the energy being sucked out of her body. “Miranda hired you. God only knows why. Get here tomorrow morning by 7:45 not a moment later.” Emily said, and promptly hung up. Andy fixed her eyes on something in this distance for several long minutes in an attempt to draw strength from within. Okay. She was a werewolf which meant God knows what and apparently her whole life was a lie. But hey! At least she had a new job.


End file.
